Still Standing

As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

—Galatians 6:10

A man I’ve known all my life recently lost his job—his job at the church where my husband leads worship and my dad is a pastor. I was at the drugstore buying printer cartridges and suntan lotion, without makeup and in my pajamas. He didn’t see me. I thought about leaving him alone, letting him shop in peace and not have to face me unexpectedly, one more person from church, one more person to explain it to.

Instead I walked down his aisle and said hello. After we talked about our families, I told him that I’d heard about his job, and that I was so sorry. I asked how he was doing. I told him that I’d been through something similar a few years ago, and that I might understand some of the feelings he was feeling. He said it was good to hear from someone who’d been through a similar thing and was still standing. We talked about what’s next for him.

I didn’t say anything profound. But I said something. I said something as a way of being thankful to the people who said something to me when I needed it, because I remember how much it mattered to me.